LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sophomore forward Tai Wynyard, who was suspended indefinitely in February while dealing with a back injury, is transferring from Kentucky, the school announced Monday afternoon.

"I want to thank everyone who has played a part in my two and a half years at Kentucky — everyone from the coaches to my teammates to the managers and the staff,” Wynyard said in a news release. “Everyone played huge roles in my time here. I’ve been lucky enough to have gained experiences one could only hope to have in a lifetime. I’ve had the privilege of playing with and against some of the best talent in the country at Kentucky and my hope is to one day follow in their footsteps.

"This decision wasn’t an easy one for me to make and I appreciate the commitment and support Coach Cal and the staff gave me in reaching it. My goals haven’t changed. After meeting with Cal, something that he always talks about is doing what’s best for the individual. Everyone is on a different path. Although that path will be somewhere else, I’ll never forget this place. From day one, beginning with my first home game vs. Louisville in 2015, this place has shown me nothing but love. I want to thank you for your support. Kentucky will always hold a special place in my heart."

Wynyard, a New Zealand native, totaled 19 points and 27 rebounds in 97 minutes across 23 games during his UK career. UK coach John Calipari first announced Wynyard would likely miss the remainder of the season with a back injury in early February before announcing the suspension a day later.

Courier Journal reported after Wynyard's suspension that UK fraternity and sorority members had used a group messaging app to warn each other about a potentially dangerous student who allegedly carried a gun to a party in January and said he was protecting Wynyard. The alleged bodyguard, Aaron Steele, is no longer enrolled in classes at UK. He was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge in February after police said he struck a woman and threw her against a wall.

UK has not confirmed if that incident was the cause of Wynyard's suspension.

"We haven’t had a lot of players transfer, but when a player comes to me and asks for a fresh start, I will always support them,” Calipari said in the release. “We talk all the time about this being a new experience for our players, but I believe it was even tougher for Tai because of where he came from. To come to a new country in the middle of the season and try to carve out a role was difficult, but I’m proud of Tai for the person he’s grown into.

"I know this decision wasn’t easy for him because he is just now starting to learn who he is and how he can contribute to a team. We are sad to see him go, but he has our full support and we will do whatever we can to make sure he can continue to pursue his dreams. That’s what this is all about here at Kentucky.”